Detachable closure for display containers



m. w w d Y H m m DETACHABLE CLOSURE FOR DISPLAY CONTAINERS Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

HENRY HERMANIfoFBALTIMoRE, MARYLAND; sesiones; fr0. nenn: .rm Diteci-mienten COIMPANY' OF-BALTIMORE, 0F'BALTilYOR-E,MRZLAND, A'CORPORATIONAOF vNEW A TER-sex i DETACHABLECLOSURE non DISPLAY oonreiizfEns.A

Appneati-orf-nieu-meenten, ieee, seien ne'. scenes'- :il-ien i,

e citizen' of 11the United Stitte's,A and-"resident l invented certain jnewrzind 1 usefull 'lrnprove-w inents 'in Detachable Closiires" :tor "Display (lontuiners,l of' Wliichthe'toll-diving isii specification."

ment" tol lcontainers `lfor the fadvntiigeous displeytind vending oit various"commodities' in `r Aeil stores;

Although' dispiziy "containeiis of this classm menotliinited estotlicnatureot the goods to be displayed or' vendeirh.theynre incre' frequently einployedforr Various edihles,

such es cakes,'c1ackers niidhiscuits, candies ind other 'food |articles.' The `containers,

which may he rectangular 'cartonsor metal cans, with one open end, are' usuellymat# ranged in groups in e snitzltble"reclrend the closures are. designed `for readyjernphtce-- nient orattachment to lthe 'cartons or cans. f

The closure must lieve-e movable Adoor'or cover to give access to the goods.l f It is necLY csi-sery Yto provide unopeningtl'le'closure to permit 'the contents ottlie container to he observed, and 'in order to"ipreserve"theA (entente and protect 'itl troni' dust and dirt it is practically necessary that Vthe opening'v shzill lie protected Abye trai'isparent cover ine;y and this covering for practical Ireasons isiilinostnecessarily-oli Since it is Usually `desirable to ineke the inoveble closnre cover almost es large .as the open end of the container,` in order to give ready acto the commodity, and for other rcesons, lit is desirable or necessary to secure the glues which protects the inspection opening to the n'iovzible cover.

The object of niy invention -is-to piovidev 1i sheet inet-'nl closure Whichcontorms to the general requirements of irticle's 'otthifs class,

including-g those above 1nentioned,"and 'whichV is of simple; economical Vand strong "con struction; to stiften or reinforce the struc# iure in certain Ways by simple neen-ns7 so that any considerable bending,l or' t\ vist.i'n1;` ot the device is prevented; to provide asiniple. inexpensive end easily opereteil device 'for securing the glass in position' und to :ari-enge this device 'so that "itfcen be quickly ind easily manipulated to pcrinit reinov#A precticallypreve zilizindreplacementof ttheglzrssfoircleans inounti to the closure so'tli zicteristics'of ipliliinicesof` thissort:

A closure' of this typejconiprises ltwo prin#l cipul portions, oneowhitch may: oe-"dee scribed :is :i nnnn 'l'raineor conta.nier-litting'`` body and `tlie'other pert'may helidciititied the n'iovelile cover portion or cover freine freine; Theniein"tru-nie'serves use ineens for securing1 tlieclosnre Ato lthe openy end et the wnteiner,'Wln'chis ln'inost cesese sheetf metal can ot k'rectzingulai* outline,` end et" the saine'tinie es zi"supporttorthe inoifuhle cover orfcoverfreine)V The closures znede-V signed't'o'r attachment to' ezcistiiiggty ies etV display czins, which arelalreedy in the' hands shipped lsepzirzi'te freni tlie"-cans iandA it'iis, therefore, desirable that each closu1e"ep-'- plience Y shall he n'nide .so that it can he lian-died 'and' putin 'pos'itionl'on e-contniner can es asul'istuntinlly unitary ystructure'. To provide the necessary:strength end rigidity to resist` ordinary or"evenrough handlingy heitere zippliczltionto"the container, the'fran structures aire suitably reinforced.' To provide the desired reinforcement in the mein or attachment :traine this traine is desn'ebly nizide in 'two parts, euch" part'l constituting' substantially two sides of the freine and corL responding ends voiI 'the'tivo 'ports gire secured together most desirably""hylocli seems; so

that thclfrznne isrigidlyreinforcedfat diag# ongillyopposite corners by the seein" connections.

This freine is further reinforced et 'therein' `edees bv inturned or lao )ed ooi tions of the sheet nietzil :ind the portion of the 'freine surrouiiding 'the front opening` which is usuallyulinost'ns large' the enA terior outline ofthe :trai/nm is further rein--` 'lori ed hy n substantially cont-innous'inetzil rod or wire around which portions of the sheet metal frame walls are bent and secured. rlhis reinforcing wire is most desirably arranged to serve at the same time as a long hinge connection of the piano type for the movable cover frame, one side ofA which is provided with tongues or projections which are bent around the reinforcement wire to form the cover hinge members. While the glass retaining device is most desirably easily movable to permit removal and replacement of the glass, and while in a physical embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed it is actually removable in some cases, it is for ordinary purposes permanently connected to a suitable part of the closure, such as the cover frame, and this connection is most desirably a hinge connection having novel characteristics7 as hereafter explained. The entire structure, therefore, as arranged for shipment to a retail dealer and for attachment to the container cans, is a substantially unitary structure with all its parts connected and secured against any accidental displacement or loss. The cover frame is reinforced by structural details of its front and side walls as e2;- plained hereafter, and especially by a reinforcing rod or wire about the edges of the side walls or usually all of the side walls, except one, as also further explained below.

The characteristics and` advantages of the invention are further sufficiently explained in connection with the following detail description of the accompanying drawings, which show one exemplifying embodiment of the invention. After considering this, persons skilled in the art will understand that modifications may be made within the principles of the invention, and I contemj plate the employment of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the closure structure with the cover in open position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation from the hinge side of the structure, that is from the left of Fig. 1, with the cover closed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section at 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section at /l, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section at 55, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail at 6 6, Fig. 4.

The principal parts of the closure appliance as shown in Fig. 1 are the main or attachment. frame 10 and the cover frame 11. The main frame is most desirably made in two principal parts 13 and 14e. rlhe frame part 13 consists of a st ip of sheet metal of substantial width bent at a right angle at. 15 to form a side member 16 and bottom member 1T. rlhe side and bottom members have portions or flanges 1S bent in at right angles to form narrow front wall portions of the main frame. These front flanges are cut away diagonally at 19 so that the edges of the adjacent flange portions fit closely together.

The other main frame portion 14 is of similar construction comprising a side flange or member 2O and a top flange 2l connected b v a right angle bend at 22 and the side and top flanges have shallow front flanges 23. rIhe two frame members are connected together, most desirably, by lap or lock-seam joints 24, the seam interlocking portions being formed in the adjacent ends of the side and top flanges 16 and 21 and the bottom and side flanges 17 and 20. The frame member connections are thus arranged at diagonally opposite corners of the completed frame and serve to stiffen these corners and prevent frame distortion. .strengthen the frame and resist bending or twisting, the front flanges 18 and 23 are pro-v vided with projecting portions at their inward edges which are rolled over to form. integral tubular portions 24 closely fitting around a reinforcing rod 25, which is usually a piece of wire of substantial diameter and of suitable stiff material bent into rectangular form. This rod or wire reinforcement directly surrounds the large opening formed in the outer face of the main or ati tachment frame.

In order to accommodate projections which are usually located on the upper side of a can or other container to which the closure appliance is to be affixed, the top flange 21 is usually cut away to form a recess 26 wide and deep enough to accommodate such can projections. In cutting out the aperture a narrow strip 27 of sheet metal is left integral with the upper front flange 23 and this is bent down and inward parallel to lthe front flange, as best shown in Fig. 5 to provide a reinforcement along the front face of the. aperture 26. Desirably also the side flanges 16 and 20, the bottom fiange 17 and the top flange 21 are provided with integral extensions 28 which are folded over and fiattened down against the main flange members, as best shown in Fig. 1 to form. inward edge reinforcements.

The other main closure member, or cover frame l1, may be constructed more or less in accordance with vthe structure of the main frame 10, but in a preferred embodiment as illustrated, this cover frame may consist of a single piece of sheet metal shaped to form a front wall 8O provided with a large aperture 31, which may be more or less centrally located in the front wall, but usually is located so that the upper portion of the front wall above the aperture is son'iewhat wider than the side and bottom portions. Parts of the frame sheet are bent over to form side flanges 32, 33, a bottom ange 3d and a To additionally e tasse-e? top flange 35,` these flanges being bent at right angles to the front wall and havingy their end edges ymore or less closely abutting as at 36. The inner face of the cover frame thusformed may be reinforced in various ways, this reinforcement consisting in a preferred einloodinrc-ntv as shown7 of a rod or wire 37 similarjto the rod25` previously described7 enclosed `in `edge portions 38 of the bottoinland top flanges .34 and 35 and of the side flange 32, these edge portions being rolledover to enclose the reinforcing wire which thus serves to connect the three flanges mentioned and to reinforce their inward edges.

VThe cover frame and lthe main frame are preferably niovably connected to each other and this connection is preferably in the form of a hinge to permit the cover to be easily opened and closed, and this hinge is moreover in al preferred example made so that when the hinge formation is completed the frames are,` permanently connected together to provide an integral or unitary structure for reasons previously mentioned. ln the present einbodinient of the invention, therefore, the hinge pintle consists of the portion of `the reinforcingrod which lies along the inward edge of the front flange 18 at the front edge of the main frame side flange 20. Portions of the tubular formation Ql surrounding this part of the rod are cut away and similar tubular formations l() are provided on the inward edge of thel cover side flange 33, these formations being bent about the rod and fitting .in the spaces in the tubular member 24a. ln this way a hinge of the piano type is formed which has ample strength andV stillness to maintain the cover in the proper lrelation to the main frame when in closed or open position.

The covervaperture 3l is of ample size to permit the contents of the container to be inspected. To properly `protect the `container contents it is usually desirable and in fact practically necessary to closeI the aperture with a transparent covering, and for practical purposes this must be a sheet of glass, and it is niost desirable to locate this glass at the inner side of the cover front wall. A cover glass is, therefore, pro vided located against the inner fae of the front wall 30, and this glass is most conveniently about the size of the inner dimensions of the cover frame so that it lits in the frame with moderate clearance between its edges and the frame walls S2, 33, 3l and 35. The glass may in seine cases be permanently secured, but these glasses are fairly oft-en broken, and it is also desirable to clean them frequently, and this cleaning is best done when the glass removed from the frame. For these reasons means are provided for securing the cover glass in position that it can be quickly removed and easily replaced. .The .glass fasteningnieans is` constrlrted and Ilarranged so that lalthough it; may be removed from the appliance if necessary or desirable, it is in an operative sense secured to the `closure appli-y ance so. ythat there is no risk of inisplacing or using it when it is manipulated torelease` the glass. yllhe glass securing device is also .in the present.embodimentet the invention constructed and arrangedso that `it` provides a` yielding or cushion supportfor the glls andk which. materially reduces the risk of breaking the glass by pllessureapplied4 to its outersurface7 orby ordinary handling or even rough treatment inv shipment, or when the appliance is lin.position on the container. lFor these purposes the glassy holding device in the present embodiment of the invention consists principally of a rod or wire bent in approximately rec- E tangular form and having free ends 5l hingedly connectedl to the coyeiufraine at one side. The hinge Iconnection may vary, but in the present embodiment it consistent hinge sleeves 52 which are. tubular bent p 'tions or flanges extending from inner e O s of the cover frame side` wall 33. Specifically, these hinge members are originally formed as tongues or flanges projecting from the edges 33 of thewalll between the tubular hinge` members 40 previously des i bed. rlhe f eY 5l of the retaining wire are inserted in `the hingetubes ,52

by; First springing; the @nds et the wir@ ener@ and when sol inserted :the natural iy 'lienciyiy 100 of the wire holds the retainer to all intents and purposes permanentlywin position,V although if it is necessary it may, of course,

be removed when the retaining wire is n swung `inward away Yfrom the cover frame).

by merely pulling `the ends 51. out from the hinge tubes. y

The retaining wire is formedwith upper and lower members 55 arranged top-*lie along inner faces of the upper and` lower cover 110 flanges and 34, and these portions'are connected by aportion 56 arranged to lie along the inner face of the coverfflange 32.. and the end portionsl are connected to 4the portions 55 by short portions '57 arranged. 115 to lie close to the coverllange 38. tflubs'vti.i-y tially at the mid-lengthof each wire portion and 5G an outwardly bent or cranked meinber- 58 is provided and the shortfarijns 59 which connect the members 58 to the 120 main stretches of the wire arobent slightly inwardg as best shown in Fig. 5; and the wire portions 60 which connect the ends 5l to the wire members 57 are also bentangularly inward as shownin Fig; 4. Qutward-` ly pressedbeads or sockets Goare provided in `the coverflanges to receive the wire portioustoS and centrally-of these sockets the flange nietal .is cutuand inbent Vto form latch members 6G with angular outer` faces. The, 130V glass is put in position when the fastening wire is released from the cover frame and swung inward, and then the fastening wire is swung against the glass and its members 55 and 56 are. bent inward as the` wire .members 58 are forced over the angular latch faces G6 until they snap into the sockets 65 behind the latches. The latches then retain the fastening wire firmly in position and portions of the wire adjacent to the cranked or offset members 58 press against the inner face of the glass and hold it resiliently or yieldingly against the cover front wall 30 so that any force applied tending to press the glass inward is yieidingly resisted by the fastening device and glass breakage is thus to a very great extent prevented. To remove the glass for cleaning or to substistute a new glass for a broken one, it is only necessary to bend one or more of the wire members 55 or 56 inward until its cranked portion 58 is free from the adiacent latch GG, and then the remaining wire members are easily freed from the latches and the entire wire fastening device swung inward on its hinges 5i, and the glass is then free to be remover..

The appliance is positioned for use on a eon'nnodity container of the class previously described, simply by pushing the main frame over the open end of the carton or container can, the side walls or flanges of the main frame being designed to closely ht the container mouth and the aperture 26 in the main frame upper flange 2l being designed to accommodate, projections on the upper face of the can mouth, as previously explained.

These containers are usually located on their shelves or in their racks so that the open mouth of the container is not vertical but is tilted somewhat upwardly. Therefore, when the closure appliance is put in position the cover ll when closed remains in closed position by the force of gravity and it is not necessary usually to provide any latch to hold it in closed position. Such a latch may, however ,be provided when necessary or desirable. The structure is usually designed so that the inner edges of the cover flanges 34- and 32 engage the beaded flange on the main frame provided by the tubular formations 2-1 more or less snugly, so that the cover will stay shut, even if the container is arranged horizontally with its open mouth in vertical position.

Vhat I claim is l. A closure structure designed for ready attachment to a display' container, comprising an open main frame of sheet metal having side walls adapted to closely fit the walls of a container about the open month thereof and a front wall surrounding an opening in the front face of the frame, the front wall being reinforced by a metal rod enclosed in tubularly bent inward margins of said front wall, and a sheet metal cover having an lapertured front wall Aand side walls, said sheet metal side walls formed to fit closely around the reinforcement of the' front wall of the main frame, the cover being hingedly connected to the main frame by marginal portions of one of its side walls tubularly bent about said main frame reinforcement rod at one side of the main frame opening.

2. A closure structure designed for ready attachment to a display container, comprising an open main frame of sheet metal having side walls adapted to closely fit the walls of a container about the open mouth thereof and a front wall surrounding an opening in the front face of the frame, the frontwall being` reinforced by a metal rod enclosed in tubularly bent inward margins of said front wall, and a sheet metal cover having an apertured front wall and side walls, the sheet metal of the side walls formed to tit closely around the reinforcement of the front wall of the main frame, the cover being hingedly connected 'to the A main frame. by marginal portions of one of its side walls tubularly bent about said main frame reinforcement rod at one side of the main frame opening, the cover being reinforced by a rod extending along the edges of certain of its-side walls and enclosed in tubularly formed marginal portions of said walls.

3. ln a closure designed for ready attachment to a display container, an open main frame structure comprising two main niembers, each consist-ing of a strip of metal of substantial width bent at a right angle to form two adjacent side flanges and each having narrow front wall portions, the adjacent ends of the side flanges of the two frame members being permanently connected by lool; seam formations providing reinforced connections at diagonally opposite corners of the main frame structure, a reinforcing wire in substantially rectangular form lyin along the inner edges of said front wall members and enclosed in tubularly formed inner marginal portions thereof, the described wall reinforcement defining an opening in the front wall structure of the frame, and a sheet metal cover hinged to said wire reinforcement, said cover having a display opening.

4. In a closure designed for ready attachment to a display container, an open main frame structure comprising two main members, each consisting of a strip of metal of' substantial width bent at a right angle to form two adjacent side flanges and each having narrow front wall portions, the adjacent ends of the side flanges of the two frame members being permanently connected by lock seam formations providing reinforced connections at diagonally oppollt) site corners of the main frame structure, a reinforcingI wire in substantially rectangular form lying along the inner edges of said front wall members and enclosed in tubularly formed inner marginal portions there-` of, the described wall reinforcement delining an opening in the front wall structure of the frame, and inner edge margins of said side flanges being bent inward against the flanges to form edge reinforcements, and a sheet-metal cover hinged to said wire reinforcement, said cover having a display opening.

5. A closure structure for display containers, comprising an open main frame of sheet metal adapted to fit the container and having a large aperture in its outer face and provided with a hinge pintle at one side of the aperture, a cover frame comprising an apertured front wall and side walls of sheet metal, one of which is provided with hinge members bent around said pint-le, a glass located within the cover against its front wall to protect the aperture therein, side walls of the cover being provided with substantially centrally located, beveled, in wardly projecting latch members, and a glass retainer consisting substantially of a single piece of wire bent in approximately rectangular form and having an offset portion in each of its side members adapted to yieldingly cooperate with said glass and latches to retain the glass detachably in position, the retainer wire having its end portions rotatably inserted in tubular hinge sockets consisting of rolled marginal portions of the cover side wall arranged parallel with the hinge members first menn tioned, whereby the said cover and glass retainer may swing on their hinges in substantially the same direction.

6. A closure structure designed for ready application to the open end of a display container and comprising an open main frame of sheet metal having side walls adapted to fit the container end and front walls surrounding a large front opening, a cover frame of sheet instal having an apertured front wall and narrow side walls, a rod constituting a hinge pintle for the main frame and cover, said rod being located at one side of the respective members and enclosed by tubular formations on the inner margin of one of the main frame front walls and one of the cover frame side Walls, a glass located within the cover and against its front wall to protect the cover opening, and a one-piece retainer wire in approximately rectangular form having members adapted to cooperate with wire engaging formations in the cover side walls, said Wire at one side being located in a tubular hinge socket consisting of a marginal portion of the cover side wall intermediate certain of the first- ,narned tubular hinge formations thereon.

A closure structure designed for ready application to the open end of a display container and comprising an open main frame formed of sheet metal and having side walls adapted to fit the container end and front walls surrounding a large front opening, a cover frame formed of sheet metal having an apertured front wall and narrow side walls, a rod constituting a hinge pintle for the main frame and cover, said rod being located at one side of the respective members and enclosed by tubular formations on the inner margin of one of the main frame front walls and one of the cover' frame side walls, a glass located within the cover and against its front wall to protect the cover opening, and a retainer wire in approximately rectangular form having members adapted to detachably cooperate with wire engaging formations in the cover side Walls,.said wire having its free ends located for swinging movement in tubular hinge sockets consist-` ing of marginal portions of the cover side wall arranged intermediate and parallel with the first named tubular hinge formations thereon, whereby said retainer wire may be swung in planes parallel with movements of the hinged cover.

8. A closure structure designed for ready attachment to a display container, comprisingan open main frame of sheet metal having side walls adapted to closely fit the walls of a container about the open mouth thereof and front walls surrounding an opening in the front face of the frame, the front walls being reinforced by a metal rod enclosed in tubularly bent inward margins of all of said front walls, and a cover of sheet metal having an apertured front wall and narrow side walls formed to fit closely over the reinforced front portion of the main frame, the cover being hingedly connected to the main frame by marginal portions of one of its side walls tubularly bent about said main frame reinforcement rod at one side of the main frame opening, a glass located within the cover against the cover front wall and covering the aperture therein, glass-retainer wire bent in approXimately rectangular form and having members detachably cooperating with retaining members formed in the cover side walls, the retainer wire being' hingedly secured to the cover by tubular hinge members integrally formed on one of the cover side walls, and extending parallel with said hinge reinforcement rod whereby said' retainer Wire may be freely swung on its hinged connections towardand from the main frame and independent-ly of swinging movements of the cover.

Signed at Baltimore, State of Maryland this 29th day of November A. D. 1922.

HENRY HERMANI.

lll() 

